The Snow Demon's Daughter

It may have been his imagination, but the air seemed to get colder as the strange girl approached. She was pretty, with light blond hair and pale blue eyes. She had an Asian look to her, which was odd, but somewhat exotic. “Need a ride?” he leered. She shook her head and continued on her way. “It’s not safe for little girls to wander these roads alone.” He smiled horribly, and reached out of his truck, grabbing her wrist. “Something bad might happen to you.” She looked at his hand, and something about her changed. She looked up at him and smiled, but it was a cold smile. It belonged to a nature far colder then any the man had seen. That was when he realized that this girl was far more dangerous then he. He jerked back, but could not release his hand from the girl’s icy wrist. “You can do nothing.” She said, reaching for him and guiding his gaze to her face with frozen fingers. “How many have felt that way because of you I wonder.” Tears leaked from his eyes, and froze before falling halfway down his cheeks. Her smile widened. “Shall I show you?” She removed her hand from his chin and held it, palm out, in front of his eyes. A mirror of ice solidified, and what the man saw made him howl and scream. The girl looked at the perfect mirror in some disappointment. She glanced at the still screaming man and smiled, the face of a predator as it looks on its cornered prey. “There, there,” she said. “I’ll take the pain away.” Then she kissed him. Numbing his emotions, and freezing his heart until it sluggishly stopped beating. She drew back and shook herself. She looked at the dead man and flushed. She suddenly seemed embarrassed, and a little bit upset. Then she sighed, she wrenched him out of the truck, tossed him in the back. There was no need for a kid to be traumatized by a dead body on the road. She paused briefly, looking down on the body. “You should not have threatened me.” She told it. “It is not in my…nature, to be forgiving.” She got in the driver’s seat, already wondering where she should dump the body, and how long she could use his stolen truck. *** Shira Yuki Jones was a foster child. Her father was an American who had vanished on a hillside in Japan. He was found eight months later, babbling incoherently, and holding a little baby girl. DNA testing proved that she was his daughter. The mother could not be identified. She was put into the foster system because every time her father went near her he went mad once more. She ended up living in Connecticut with the Johnson family. She was called Yuki by her friends, and the Ice Queen by most others. She loved her foster sister Tasha dearly, and had a big crush on Pete a childhood friend. Her foster parents noticed Yuki’s oddities, and often wondered whether her unknown mother had anything to do with them, but these thoughts were few and far between, because over the years they had come to regard Yuki as a daughter. Yuki was the only one who really knew what was the matter with her. It was one of those things that people have always known, but didn’t know when they had learned it or how. She was the daughter of a Japanese snow woman, a Yokai. That was where her name had come from. As a child the girl was unusually pale, giving her the name Shira, meaning white. The circumstances surrounding her discovery led a nurse to come to the correct conclusion that she was the daughter of a Yuki-Onna. No one believed her, but everyone agreed on the name, Shira Yuki. Yuki felt the need to leave the house and wander the mountains each time it snowed. She sometimes found men who were obvious sexual offenders, and when that happened… Her nature took over. The side of herself she called Shira, and obviously had a mind of her own. Yuki was able to converse with Shira and she could sometimes talk her out of killing. Yuki regarded Shira as a child, a child whose temper tantrums resulted in the death of rapists. Shira remembered just as much as Yuki did. She remembered being shoved from arm to arm; she remembered the strange combination of fear and love the nurse who had determined the truth of her birth; and she remembered the look on their father’s face as he tried to kill her. The unfortunate result was a child with a stunted maturity.*** “Yuki!” Tasha called. Yuki turned and smiled at her sister. Shira crushed the flurry of anger she felt when she saw Tasha, not wanting Yuki to know how much she hated the girl she considered her sister. Tasha ran up to her and gave her a big hug. Pete came up behind her, and kissed her cheek, causing Yuki to freeze in sudden fear. She relaxed almost at once, but only gave him a small smile in return. This was one of many reasons why she was called the Ice Queen. It was obvious that she liked him, as much as he did her, but she never kissed him. She was afraid of what would happen if she did. “We’re gonna miss the movie if we don’t hurry.” Yuki pointed out. Pete smiled and tossed his arm over her shoulder. Tasha scampered ahead, and ran back. They went to the movies, happy and content to be with the people they loved. Later that day, Tasha pulled Pete aside, and asked him if he would come over that night. “Why?” He asked, confused. Tasha looked down, biting her lip. “Well, it’s snowing tonight. Our parents are out of town for the week, and you know how Yuki gets when it snows. I’m worried. Three people have frozen to death this year alone. I figure if you’re there, she might stay… and this could be a time for you to test your theory.” Pete frowned and looked down guiltily. He had a theory that Yuki had something to do with the unusual increase in deaths on snowy nights. His father was a cop, and talked about cases often at home. Pete knew about Yuki’s unique habits, and while he didn’t think that Yuki was responsible, (The girl wouldn’t even kill a bug, she found a way to catch it an release it outside.) he was afraid she might somehow be involved. “Okay,” Pete agreed. “but if she tries to go out, we confront her. It’s not safe for her to wander around like that, especially in the middle of a snow storm.” *** “Yuki.” Yuki spun, her eyes widened. Tasha and Pete stood behind her. “Please don’t-“ Pete began. “You shouldn’t be here.” Yuki cut him off. Pete looked ticked. “You shouldn’t be going out tonight!” He growled. “It’s dangerous.” Yuki let out a hollow laugh. “Yeah,” she said. “You have no idea.” “You’re NOT going out tonight!” Pete yelled. “Yuki, please stay in tonight.” Tasha said timidly. “There’s no please about it!” Pete stormed. “She’s staying in and that’s it!” He strode forward and reached out to grab her. “Pete NO!” Yuki cried out in alarm, but it was too late. The same cold, deadly smile that had appeared when she killed the trucker returned to her face. She looked up into his eyes, Pete suddenly let go, and began to back away. He was scared, but he didn’t know why. “You should have listened to Yuki.” Shira said. “She was only trying to protect you.” Tasha stared at her in abject terror. “Who are you?” she squeaked. “Where’s my sister?!” Shira lost her smile when she looked at her. “I’m Shira.” She said, her voice as chilly as a glacier. “I’m Yuki’s other half. The one that’s all too willing to use the power our mother gave us.” Tasha gasped, her hair was suddenly covered in frost. “See?” she said snidely. “As for Yuki, she’s right where she belongs.” Shira tapped her chest happily. “What are you?” Pete demanded, closing his hand comfortingly around Tasha’s shoulder. Shira shrugged. “The same thing Yuki is really, a half-breed, half snow demon, half human.” She clapped her hands happily. “Oh, and don’t think we don’t know that you suspect us of the deaths in the mountains. Guess what, we are! Well, I am anyway.” Shira laughed. “Peter, Peter, Peter… Now what am I to do with you? I know!” she snapped her fingers, the mirror appeared. “Let’s see what’s in your heart. That should make Yuki think twice about how she feels about you!” She showed him the mirror, then looked incredibly upset. “Well, that’s disappointing.” She said. “Nothing more then a few shopliftings, and gross magazines.” She glanced at Tasha and sighed. “and of course, Madame Purity wouldn’t have anything interesting.” She threw the mirror down and it skittered across pavement. “Darn it! What a let down!” She glanced back at them. “Oh well, guess I’ll have to use less creative methods.” An ice knife materialized in her hand. “I think it’s high time you died.” She said in her icy voice, advancing on the two people she cared about most. Tasha shrank back, and Pete slid in front of her. Shira smiled and lifted her hand. Tasha gasped in terror as she felt herself jolt forward. Pete slipped as ice formed beneath his feet. “Lets start with the little one.” Shira said cruelly. “NO!” Pete cried, trying to get up and run forward. Tasha looked up at Shira. She was trembling like a scared little rabbit. Shira froze, she put a hand to her face. “Yuki…” she snarled. “Don’t interfere. This is our nature, it’s what we are meant to do.” Her eyes widened as she felt Yuki fight harder. She stared at Tasha with loathing. “You… I always hated you.” She battled for control again. “You will die!” she screamed, lunging forward with the knife. Tasha screamed and closed her eyes. Pete yelled in the background. Blood splattered, Tasha opened her eyes, and saw her sister had stabbed herself in the leg.Tears poured from one eye, while hate glared from the other. “Yuki!” Tasha started forward. “Get back!” Yuki snarled. Tasha stopped, and watched as Yuki and Shira fought for control. Yuki dropped the knife as she staggered backwards. Pete picked up the mirror that Shira had thrown. He slid forward and shoved the mirror in Yuki’s face. Yuki stared for a moment. Then the mirror split in two, and Yuki and Shira fell to their side. Pete stared, two girls appeared where there had been one. One wore the thick parka and scarf that the girl had originally been dressed in, while the other wore a white kimono. The girl in the white kimono stirred and sat up. “Pete?” she asked groggily. She shook her white kimono, and looked down at the unconscious girl beside her. “Oh, Shira…” she sighed sadly. Pete rushed forward and gave Yuki a huge hug, Tasha scrambled towards her and did the same. “No…” They turned at the voice. Shira had sat up and was staring at her hands. “No!” she cried. Yuki disentangled herself from Pete and Tasha, and knelt beside Shira. “Your power is gone.” She said quietly. “For a little while at least.” Shira looked at her, liquid tears falling down her cheeks. She threw her arms around Yuki, and held tight. Yuki hugged her back. Shira cried into Yuki’s shoulder. Then she caught a glimpse of Pete, and Tasha over her shoulder. Her eyes filled with hate, and her fingers tightened on Yuki’s kimono. She suddenly released Yuki, snatching the ice knife from the ground she ran at Pete with a face of fury. “This is all your fault!” Shira snarled, plunging the knife down towards his heart, then screaming in horror as it entered the folds of the kimono and into the chest of the one person in the world she truly loved. “Yuki.” She choked. “Yuki!” Yuki smiled at her sadly then looked at Pete and Tasha. “Protect her.” Yuki said in a voice so quiet it could have been the wind. “Help her, please, she’s just a little girl.” Then she shuddered and left Shira sobbing and screaming as she turned into snow and the wind blew her away. *** Pete and Tasha looked at each other across the kitchen table. Shira had not come out of Yuki’s room for the past three days. “What will we do?” Tasha said. Pete opened his mouth. “I’m going to Japan.” A voice said behind them. They jolted up, and stared at Shira warily. “You’re a killer.” Pete said clearly. “You shouldn’t be allowed out of the county much less the country.” “Yeah, but you’re not going to report me. Not unless you want Yuki’s name to be sullied.” She said clearly. A vein throbbed in Pete’s temple. “Look.” Shira said with a sigh, she sat down. “I don’t know a whole lot about my mom’s side of the family, but what I do know is that they’re tough. It should take more then a knife to take her out.” Tasha straightened. “Wait, you mean Yuki could still be alive?” she asked. Shira nodded. “I remember a nurse who could help me, and I can follow some other leads. I may also be able to find my dad. He might go nuts but that’s a chance I’m willing to take.” Pete looked at her. “I’m going with you.” “No, you’re not.” “I’m not letting a kil-“ “Good grief let it go! They were all rapists anyway! They couldn’t even handle the mirror for ten seconds.” Shira took a deep breath. “I have to go. Put a tracker on me, whatever, but this is something I have to do alone.” She stood, and walked back to Yuki’s room to pack. Tasha followed her. “Shira, I’m going too.” Shira looked at her and Tasha took a step back. “You know, I always hated you.” Shira said, turning away and yanking open drawers. “Yuki thought of you as a little sister,” She slammed one of her drawers closed. “Yuki was my big sister. Not yours.” She spun back towards her. “This is my problem, now get out.” She shoved Tasha, who stumbled backwards. Tasha stopped. “No.” “What?” Shira asked in surprise, and displeasure. Tasha squared her shoulders. “This isn’t just your problem. It’s mine too. I know I can help you. I’ll do anything to get Yuki back, so just tell me what you know!” Tasha stared at her defiantly. Shira looked down at her then laughed. “Well, isn’t that interesting.” She said, she looked at Tasha again. “You’d help me, but don’t you hate me as much as I hate you?” Tasha nodded, and looked at Shira with as much dislike as Shira constantly eyed her with. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s your fault Yuki’s gone, but I love her a whole lot more then I hate you. So let’s just suck it up and do this. Besides,” she said, glancing down. “ I think Yuki would want this. The last thing she asked was for us to look after you. So that’s what I’m gonna do.” Shira thought for a moment about what Yuki would be telling her in the situation. Yuki would want them to get along, and Tasha did know more about how to act around others then she did. She turned back to packing, and resigned herself to traveling across the globe with Tasha. “I only know a little about Yuki-Onna, but it is said that a Yuki-Onna turns to snow when she is threatened, I don’t know what that means for Yuki, because she was a half breed but…” Tasha listened intently as Shira told her what she knew. Well aware that the information could save her sister’s life, and mentally preparing herself for the journey ahead.